#185: Dolls That Celebrate Asian Diversity with Samantha Ong

Making It in The Toy Industry with The Toy Coach

In this episode of the Making It In The Toy Industry, Samantha Ong shares her journey in launching Joeydolls and highlights the importance of representation in the toy industry. Samantha's passion for creating culturally diverse dolls stems from her desire to combat the lack of representation and stereotypes faced by Asian children. By spreading joy and empowering children to feel proud of their heritage, Samantha aims to make a meaningful impact. Listeners will gain valuable insights into Samantha's strategies for building a following on Instagram, her decision to do a pre-order campaign instead of using Kickstarter, and the challenges she faced during the production process.

This episode serves as a reminder of the significance toys have in shaping children's perceptions of themselves and the world around them. Parents and toy industry professionals alike will be inspired to take action towards creating more diverse and culturally representative toys.

Samantha's mission to create culturally diverse dolls highlights the significance of representation in the toy industry. By sharing her authentic journey of building a loyal following on Instagram and launching a successful pre-order campaign, Samantha provides valuable insights for parents and toy industry professionals. Listeners will discover the importance of involving the community in the product development process, providing value to subscribers through educational materials and discounts, and overcoming challenges in the production process. Samantha's story is an inspiration that resonates with anyone passionate about inclusivity and celebrating the beauty of different cultures. Tune in to gain insights into the power of toys in shaping children's perceptions and learn how to make a meaningful impact in the toy industry.
EPISODE CLIFF NOTES:

• Discover the surprising length of the prototyping phase [00:06:45]
• Learn about switching factories and overcoming challenges [00:08:28]
• Listen to the benefits of switching factories [00:10:22]
• See Samantha’s progress with the new factory [00:13:23]
• Find out Samantha’s unintentional two-year journey [00:15:32]
• Discover a strategy building an engaged community [00:18:03]
• Understand the importance of cultural authenticity [00:20:29]
• Learn about Samantha overcoming challenges and doubts [00:23:06]
• Samantha’s early days of instagram [00:25:34]
• Listen to the decision on using kickstarter or Samantha’s website [00:31:33 ]
• Discover the challenges with kickstarter and profit margin [00:34:58]
• Learn about Samantha’s struggles and failure moments [00:37:13]
• Find out about the successful preorder launch [00:40:51]
• Understanding the value in celebrating and promoting cultural diversity in toys [00:46:48]
• Listen to Samantha’s advice for launching a product [00:47:27]
• See Samantha’s childhood toys and role-playing [00:49:19]

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Chapters

1. Creating a Diverse Asian Doll Line (00:00:00)

2. Lessons From Switching Factories and Building (00:09:38)

3. Building Community and Engaging Customers (00:17:31)

4. Building a Brand and Overcoming Challenges (00:21:18)

5. Kickstarter or Website Pre-Order Campaign (00:27:32)

6. Joey Dahls' Launch Struggles and Success (00:37:33)

7. Launch Joey Dolls, Celebrate Asian Culture (00:45:07)